The End of the MetroCard: MTA Sets Final Phase-Out Date
All things must come to an end, and it looks like the time has finally come for the MTA MetroCard. On Wednesday, MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber announced that the MTA will stop selling MetroCards after December 31, 2025. After that date, passengers will only be able to load funds and purchase cards affiliated with the OMNY tap-to-pay system.
A Long Time Coming
The transition away from MetroCards has been in the works for years, with OMNY first introduced in 2019. The MetroCard was initially set to be phased out in 2023, then delayed to 2024, and now pushed to the end of 2025. The extended timeline was due to the complexity of integrating multiple fare programs and transit services that had long been linked to the MetroCard system. These included:
- Reduced Fare Programs: MetroCards have been used for reduced fare programs, including half-price rides for seniors (65+) and riders with qualifying disabilities.
- Fair Fares NYC: Low-income New Yorkers can receive discounted subway and bus rides through the Fair Fares NYC program.
- Student MetroCards: New York City students received MetroCards for daily rides to and from school, but this year received OMNY cards.
- Interagency Transfers: MetroCard has been accepted for other transit services like the JFK AirTrain and the Roosevelt Island Tram. Both systems now accept OMNY.
The only feature still missing from OMNY is the availability of unlimited weekly and monthly passes. While the OMNY has introduced a weekly fare cap—where riders using the same payment method (credit card or smartphone) are charged no more than $34 every seven days—there is currently no equivalent for the 30-day unlimited MetroCard. The MTA has argued that monthly unlimited MetroCards cost riders money, citing $40 million in unused fare value annually.
What Happens Next?
The transition away from MetroCards will coincide with installing at least one OMNY vending machine at every subway station by fall 2025. While MetroCard sales will stop at the end of 2025, turnstiles will continue accepting them into 2026, with an exact final acceptance date to be announced later.
For riders who still have MetroCard balances, the MTA recommends using up the stored value before the final transition. However, the remaining balances will be eligible for transfer or reimbursement for up to two years from the expiration date on the card.
The MetroCard has been a staple of New York City transit for over 30 years, but its time is ending. With OMNY fully in place across the MTA system, this marks the next step in modernizing NYC’s public transportation. If you’re still swiping, it may be time to start tapping.
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